FALL JEWELRY TRENDS 2016: BOLD STATEMENT PIECES

The fall runways were full of rich jewel toned colors which happen to be the perfect backdrop for statement jewelry for Fall. Ellie Saab featured standout, oversized chandelier earrings, but only on one ear.

Elie Saab Fall 2016 Couture Fashion Show Courtesy of Vogue

Elie Saab Fall 2016 Couture Fashion Show Courtesy of Vogue

STATEMENT NECKLACES & LOTS OF CHAINS

Versace sprinkled their show with layers of chains, large link long chains and chunky chokers.

Versace Fall 2016 Courtesy of Haper’s Bazaar

GOLD MEDALLIONS, POCKET WATCHES & MORE CHAINS

My favorite show for jewelry was John Galliano Fall 2016 Ready to Wear. His catwalk was full of gold medallions and pocket watches hanging from gold chains in an array of lengths, from Choker to Opera.

HOW TO GET THE LOOK: JEWELRY EDITION

Here are some of our pieces, actual antique pocket watches and chains that you can combine with your fall cashmere and silk to create your own one-of-a-kind look.

ANTIQUE 15 KT GOLD POCKET WATCH & LONG GUARD CHAIN

This is a heart-shaped Antique Demi-Hunter pocket watch in 15 Kt rose gold.

Copyright Sugar et Cie

The versatility comes from the fact that there are two distinct sides to the Demi-Hunter or hunter pocket watch one. With the dial side out, you get the classic look of a pocket watch. With the cover side out, it looks more like a gold locket. We are showing it with an Antique Victorian rose gold guard chain. At 57 inches, you can double or triple it to get the layered chain look. The chain has a dog clip/swivel clip which makes it really easy to change what you wear on the end of it.

EQUESTRIAN JEWELRY

Equestrian jewelry never seems to go out of fashion and now more than ever, it’s in high demand. Who doesn’t love a lucky horseshoe pendant, a riding crop brooch, hounds of all sorts, and of course right in the middle of it all, stirring things up – the fox!

ANTIQUE EQUESTRIAN JEWELRY & HOW TO WEAR IT NOW

For a variety of reasons, a good number of equestrian motif jewels happen to be in the form of a brooch. A category of jewelry that may be considered uninteresting or outdated by some, is now gaining in popularity as designers, celebrities and the trend setter in your office come up with new and fun ways to wear them.

Here are a few of our takes on how to incorporate the Equestrian Jewelry Trend into your wardrobe.

GROUP AND STACK

Start with a focus pin/brooch in a motif (Equestrian), gem/metal/color you love, or shape (linear or round), and work around it. Looking for something equestrian and love the combination of sparkling rubies and diamonds? Start with our latest addition, an antique riding crop brooch (pictured below). Pair it with a fox stick pin and a diamond bar brooch.

Some color consistency in your group, generally yields a more cohesive look. You may have to play around with your pins a bit before you get the look you want.

THE UNEXPECTED

Wear your brooches, bar pins, hunting stock pins, kilt pins, double clip brooch/dress pin in unexpected places. Pin them to straps of a cocktail dress, to the front vent of a blazer (Versace Versus), or to the top flap of a pocket.

On our last buying trip, we acquired a pair of vintage diamond, pearl, and platinum lingerie pins. We think they will look amazing pinned vertically on the front cuffs of a menswear inspired white shirt (or in place of cufflinks).

CONVERT IT

If all else fails – convert it! We wouldn’t recommend touching something that is rare, but isn’t jewelry meant to be worn?

If it doesn’t work for you in its current form, you should feel free to change it. Some conversions are quite easy and some take a bit of advice and a good jeweler who knows how to work with antique jewelry (and who has a laser welder). It’s happening all of the time. Stick pins converted to rings or single stud earrings, brooches to pendants or barrettes. We’ve been known to convert a few ourselves.

The latest craze in equestrian conversions: foxes and hounds from stick pins/brooches to rings, horseshoe brooches to pendants and rings. So if you fall in love with a brooch and none of our creative ideas on how to wear it spark your interest – convert it!

Equestrian seems to be a key style inspiration for multiple fashion houses for the Fall (2016). I especially love Vogue’s Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis’ take on the trend seen in: Great Gatsby Meets Downton Abbey in Wales (great title!).

Courtesy of Vogue – Photograph by Jooney Woodward

Both Chanel and Ralph Lauren’s Ready-to-Wear runway shows have included a bit of equestrian style. Each has paired multiple looks with riding boots: from hot pink tweed suits to long black coats piled with ropes of pearls.

Chanel’s 2016 Ready-to-Wear Collection courtesy of Vogue

Chanel’s 2016 Ready-to-Wear Collection courtesy of Vogue

RALPH LAUREN (riding boots, jodhpur style pants, and more) BUCKTROUT TAILORING (hacking jackets), LE CHAMEAU (riding and hunting boots for the field and street wear), AIGLE (riding and hunting boots for the field and street wear), are all great sources for equestrian style.

The trick to this trend is in the contrast. Evening with day (Ralph Lauren’s silk brocade evening dress with riding boots), or frayed with traditional (Bucktrout hacking jacket with frayed jeans and stilettos). Avoid wearing it from head to toe, unless of course you are about to go riding.

Sarah Jacket, in Lovat tweed courtesy of Bucktrout Tailoring

Frayed Jeans, courtesy of Man Repeller

Riding boots: Ralph Lauren, Venerie by Le Chameau, Steve Madden

You can find the Ralph Lauren’s riding boots on Ralph Lauren’s site. Unfortunately, finding Le Chameau boots in the U.S. is currently a bit difficult. At the time this post was written, their website was not set up for U.S. eCommerce.

Looking for the same luxe look for a little bit less? Steve Madden’s Lace Up Boots are a great option.

Ralph Lauren Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear, courtesy of Vogue

Ralph Lauren Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear, courtesy of Vogue

WE HAVE MORE EQUESTRIAN INSPIRED JEWELS AT SUGAR ET CIE – SO COME CHECK US OUT!

OUR ITEM OF THE WEEK: ANTIQUE GOLD BYPASS BANGLE

This pretty 14 ct gold bangle is a recent addition to our Victoriana collection and is available at Sugar et Cie. It is in the Etruscan Revival style from the Victorian period and is called a bypass bangle. You can see the lovely work in the details: the gold granulation, the fine wire work and the bloomed gold, all characteristics of the Etruscan Revival style.

We’ve paired this bangle with Deborah Lippmann’s Cleopatra in New York. It’s a black lacquer studded with gold which can be worn on its own or as a second coat over another color.

The bypass bangle has always been popular. The clean modern form of the body of the bangle is a nice contrast to the elaborate terminal on each end of the bracelet, which is similar in shape to a royal scepter.

DEBORAH LIPPMANN’S GLITTER COLLECTION

I haven’t always been a fan of glitter nail polish, but Deborah Lippmann has won me over with her sophisticated palette of glitter nail lacquers. What makes them different? The glitter components are octagonal in shape and made up of small and large pieces. The effect is chic, almost bespoke and doesn’t look like my six year old niece gave me a manicure.

Not quite ready for a black-based lacquer? Try Lippmann’s Ruby Red slippers, Boom Pow Pow, or any of the 23 polishes in her glitter collection.

ITEM OF THE WEEK: ANTIQUE VICTORIAN GOLD BUCKLE RING, HALLMARKED

This is a hand engraved (star in lozenge) and hand-carved (plumes) gold band ring with a buckle motif from the Victorian period. We’ve been looking for the perfect gold buckle ring for stacking and this one checks all the boxes.

The buckle motif has been popular throughout jewelry history. It was popular during the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian periods (the design of the buckle changing with style and time).

Victorian life was filled with symbolism and jewelry was no exception. A buckle symbolized fidelity in love, or loyalty in friendship, through the joining of the two pieces. When the buckle wraps around a finger, like the serpent or snake, it can be interpreted as a symbol of eternal love (an unending circle or bond).

From our latest buying trip in London, this buckle ring would make a great stacking ring or wedding band.

SHOPPING IN LONDON: MUST HAVE AND LUST HAVES

I couldn’t leave Knotting Hill without checking out some of the vintage fashion boutiques and a few of the home design stores. Specifically on my list was Jane Bourvis (located on 89 Golborne Road, London). Known for her antique and vintage wedding dresses and accessories, she also has a selection of vintage and reproduction skirts and dresses. Brides come from all over, making appointments to carefully select one of her designs, or a one-of-a-kind vintage or antique dress.

For me, the inside of her boutique was like being in a candy store: lots of lovely tulle, lace, feathers, and silk. I tried on a few of her tulle skirts. I really liked the one below, a vintage black tulle skirt with gold embroidered flowers (1940’s/50’s). I would wear it over a pair of leggings and boots for winter days and perhaps over a black slip for evening.

Next stop, a stroll along Bond and New Bond street to see the latest from Mappin & Webb (dating back to 1775) and Bentley & Skinner (est. 1880). My favorite was this necklace/choker from Bentley and Skinner.

A modern piece in the vintage spirit made to represent the night sky. It is exquisite in-person, made by hand, and with more diamonds than I wanted to count. Each diamond is bezel set (millegrain edge) on a velvet ribbon in midnight-sky blue.

TRENDING – A RING FOR EVERY FINGER

On Saturday, we shared with you the latest addition to our Ring Collection: an Enamel Flower Ring with a European Cut Diamond, “Wild Violet” – See more at: Part 1 of Our Latest Obsession. At Sugar et Cie, we love to mix the antique, vintage & modern. Two of the jewelry trends that were big last year and that continue to stay strong are “a ring for every finger” (or at least multiple fingers) and stacking rings.

Annabelle Fleur, Viva Luxury and Blair Eadie, Atlantic – Pacific, are two of our favorite fashion bloggers that also favor these trends. I love Annabelle’s ability to mix, stack, and layer jewelry. Her looks are always cohesive and polished.

Annabelle, Viva Luxury

Eadie Blair, Director at Tory Burch by day, and Fashion blogger by night, has the enviable ability to create looks that are fashion mag worthy, but not staged or over-styled.

Atlantic-Pacific

The color you pick for your nails can also make your jewelry pop! There are so many great options out there that sometimes I find it hard to choose.

Blue is a great pick for summer. It looks fresh, and of course it always pairs well with diamonds. Two of our favorites, periwinkle and deep violet, look great on a variety of skin tones and colors. From Essie: Lapiz of Luxury and No More Film.

About

Sugar et Cie's jewelry blog is for those who love unique and beautiful jewelry. We share information on jewelry fashion, unusual pieces of antique, vintage and modern jewelry, in addition to our latest finds.